A 38m long bridge on the Trans Pennine Trail in Staveley was formally opened on Friday 6th December. The ribbon was cut by Ivan Fomin, Managing Director of MSE Hiller and Chair of the Staveley Town Deal Board.
A group of children from Hollingwood Primary School were the first to ride across to great applause from about 40 guests representing all the organisations involved in bringing the project to fruition.
After posing for photographs, they rode back accompanied by Ivan Fomin and Toby Perkins MP, who were on electric bikes provided by Wheels to Work, another Town Deal project to provide travel support to help residents over the age of 16 get to work, training or college.
Before the official ceremony, a horse and its rider crossed the bridge to represent the British Horse Society and promote the multi-user route.
The bridge is the first phase of a £6 million restoration scheme managed by the Chesterfield Canal Trust. Most of the money will come from the Staveley Town Deal, a £25.2 million investment in Staveley through the Government’s Towns Fund, covering nine projects in all.
Next year will see a new lock, a new bridge, a pumping system, about 400m of restored canal, lots of landscaping and planting works and 3km of upgraded towpath to the borough boundary. Hundreds of thousands of tons of clay will also be placed on the line of the historic Staveley Puddlebank ready for full restoration in the future.
Peter Hardy, Chair of the Chesterfield Canal Trust, thanked all those who had helped with the project. These included Chesterfield Borough Council, who manage the Staveley Town Deal, Derbyshire County Council, who are adopting the new bridge, O’Brien Contractors Ltd., who did the construction work, and Suon Ltd., who donated the clay. He also thanked the Trans Pennine Trail, Cycle Chesterfield and the British Horse Society all of whom gave valuable advice and support plus George Rogers and Jon Lindley, who manage the project for the Trust.
Councillor Steve Lismore, Chesterfield Borough Council's Cabinet member for Health and Wellbeing, said: “The Staveley Town Deal has four strands - Innovation and Enterprise, Inclusive Growth, Place, and Health and Wellbeing – and this project is close to my heart sitting very firmly in the last category. Walking and access to the countryside have proven benefits for both physical and mental health, and this project will encourage people to explore the area much more. It will be wonderful for the people of Staveley and the wider community. Many partners have come together to make this happen and I am very grateful for all their hard work.”
Cllr Carolyn Renwick, Derbyshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Environment, said: “We’re committed to promoting safe and sustainable ways to travel, be they for work or leisure, and this is a very welcome development after a lot of hard work and collaboration. Thanks are due especially to the staff and volunteers at the Chesterfield Canal Trust.
“The new bridge helps improve the Trans Pennine Trail which reflects our support for increasing and improving walking, cycling and horse-riding opportunities across the county.”
Before cutting the ribbon, Ivan Fomin echoed the previous two speakers by thanking the volunteers of the Chesterfield Canal Trust for all the work they do which is of an incredibly high standard.